What Association Management does

Association Management Inc. (AMI) is a privately held Washington corporation founded in 1986 and headquartered in Gig Harbor, Washington, that provides full-service association management to nonprofit trade and professional associations. The firm embeds dedicated staff into client organizations, with over a dozen staff serving as Executive Directors or CEOs for the approximately 40 associations AMI manages, alongside specialists in financial management and bookkeeping, event planning, member recruitment and retention, board governance, communications, creative services, and technology (including a website developer). Client association sizes range from 50 to 10,000 members, spanning medical specialty societies (American College of Cardiology and American College of Physicians chapters across multiple states and Canadian provinces), real estate organizations (BOMA, CRN, CREW), HR associations (SHRM, LWHRA), legal, planning, arts, and executive networking groups.

AMI operates as an independent contractor rather than a staffing agency, generating revenue primarily through monthly contracted amounts based on job-description scope, with hourly fees applied to special projects or consulting. It provides errors-and-omissions insurance coverage to clients and structures contracts as one-year terms with a 90-day termination notice, lowering commitment risk for new clients. The go-to-market combines consultative direct sales with community-led referral generation through ASAE, WSAE, and local chamber memberships, plus content marketing via a blog and a Facebook presence. No software products, APIs, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or external funding are disclosed; the company remains closely held under founder and President Lianna Collinge, CAE, with leadership including VP of Client Development Liz Truong (CAE, CFRE) and VP of Team Development Mike Oechsner (MBA, CAE, CMP).

Name

Association Management

Legal name

Association Management Inc.

Website

https://aminc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Association Management Inc. is a Gig Harbor, Washington-based association management firm serving nearly 40 nonprofit trade and professional associations across the US and Western Canada, providing executive leadership, financial management, event coordination, and member services via dedicated staff on monthly contracted retainers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Association Management Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Compliance, Governance & Board Support Services (BPAJAHAN)

Keywords

• Association management services
• Nonprofit management
• Membership administration
• Executive director services
• Event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Gig Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Association Management Services: Monthly contracted amount based on job description/scope of work. AMI acts as an independent contractor for associations, providing comprehensive management including executive leadership, financial management, event planning, and member services. Fees are typically monthly contracted amounts, though hourly fees are sometimes recommended for specific projects or consulting.
2. Special Projects and Consulting: Hourly fee-based engagements for temporary special projects, consulting, or specific deliverables outside the standard management scope.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Association Management Inc. (AMI) provides comprehensive, full-service management for nonprofit associations on an independent-contractor basis, effectively serving as the outsourced executive leadership (CEO/Executive Director), finance team, event team, and membership team for each client. Engagements are contracted monthly based on scope of work, with hourly fees applied to discrete special projects or consulting deliverables. Services span executive leadership, financial management and bookkeeping, event planning and coordination, board governance support, membership recruitment and retention, marketing and creative services, public relations, and technology solutions.

Product overview

Association Management Inc. (AMI) is a professional association management services company, not a software product company. Founded in 1986, AMI provides comprehensive management services to nonprofit associations, including membership recruitment and retention, financial management and bookkeeping, meeting and event planning, board governance support, public relations, and technology solutions (websites, apps, social media marketing). AMI also offers specialized services including policy development, fundraising, and non-dues revenue development. The company serves associations ranging from 50 to 10,000 members, positioning itself as an alternative to volunteer-reliance or employee staffing for professional, trade, residential owners, and charitable associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full-Service Association Management Comprehensive, contracted management of nonprofit associations on an independent-contractor basis, including executive leadership, financial management, event planning, membership management, board governance, and communications. Sold as a monthly contracted amount tied to scope of work, serving associations ranging from 50 to 10,000 members.
• Executive Director / CEO Services Outsourced executive leadership where AMI staff serve as the de facto CEO or Executive Director for client associations, providing governance, strategic direction, board support, and external representation. More than a dozen AMI team members serve in this capacity across nearly 40 client organizations.
• Financial Management and Bookkeeping Bookkeeping, financial reconciliation, invoicing, data analysis, dues management, and budget oversight for client nonprofit associations. Reports are typically delivered within an hour or less, and always within one week.
• Event Planning and Coordination Meeting and event planning, including annual conferences, special events, auctions, golf tournaments, fundraising events, guest speaker management, and lodging coordination for client associations.
• Membership Recruitment and Retention Member services including recruitment, retention, dues management, and ongoing member communication for client nonprofit associations.
• Board Governance and Policy Support Board governance support, strategic planning, policy development, and nonprofit regulatory compliance assistance (including Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act RCW 24.03A updates, bylaws updates, and annual meeting requirements).
• Special Projects and Consulting Hourly-fee engagements for temporary special projects, consulting, fundraising, public relations, contract negotiation, and specific deliverables outside the standard management scope.
• Marketing, Creative, and Technology Solutions Marketing, public relations, social media management, creative design, video production, website development, and mobile/app solutions delivered to client associations via AMI's in-house Technical Services Specialists and Website Developer.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full transition from previous management can take as little as two weeks or as long as a month
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association leadership center providing standards, resources, and development for association professionals. AMI maintains membership and alignment with professional standards from this organization.
• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary professional standards body for association management. AMI staff hold CAE (Certified Association Executive) designations and subscribe to professional standards. ASAE provides certification and industry guidelines.
• Washington Society of Association Executives (WSAE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional professional society for association executives in Washington state. AMI maintains active membership and participates in local industry community.
• Gig Harbor Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Chamber of Commerce providing business networking and community connections in the Gig Harbor area where AMI headquarters is located.
• Alliance of Women Owned BusinessesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWOB membership with recognition as Crystal Star Awards Finalist, supporting women-owned businesses and entrepreneurial community.
• American College of Physicians (ACP) Multiple ChapterscoreOthersAMI manages multiple ACP chapters including Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Canadian chapters (Atlantic Provinces, British Columbia, Ontario, Prairie Provinces, Quebec), representing significant portfolio of medical professional associations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• ASAE (American Society of Association Executives): The primary professional society and standards body for the association management industry. AMI maintains active membership and aligns with ASAE's CAE certification standards. Not a direct competitor, but the central enabling organization and credibility anchor for the entire AMC category in which AMI operates.

Direct peers

• Virtual, Inc. Full-service association management firm specializing in technology and standards-based associations. Directly comparable to AMI as an AMC serving member-based professional and trade organizations, though more concentrated in tech verticals.
• Kellen Company: Global association management firm serving trade associations and professional societies with full-service management, government relations, and meeting services. Directly comparable to AMI's full-service AMC model across multiple verticals.
• Association Headquarters, Inc. Mt. Laurel, NJ-based association management company providing full-service management, financial, meeting planning, and membership services to professional and trade associations. Closely aligned with AMI's service offering and client profile.
• Association Management Center: Indianapolis-area association management firm delivering executive leadership, financial management, and meeting services to trade and professional associations. Directly comparable to AMI's full-service AMC offering at similar scale.
• SmithBucklin: The largest association management company in the United States, providing full-service management, consulting, and specialized services to trade associations, professional societies, and other member organizations. Directly comparable to AMI in service model and customer type, though operating at dramatically larger national scale.
• Bostrom: Chicago-based association management company providing full-service management, consulting, and event services to nonprofit associations. Directly comparable to AMI in service scope and client type, though larger and more nationally distributed.
• Executive Director Inc. (EDI): San Diego-based association management company providing full-service AMC support to medical, professional, and trade associations. Directly comparable to AMI, particularly in the medical society chapter management space where both firms operate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AMI.Delivering.Association.Success

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association Management